


Thankful

by Angel_made_of_scars



Series: Leading Into A Life [26]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Emetophobia, F/M, M/M, Religion, Thanksgiving
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-24
Updated: 2016-11-24
Packaged: 2018-09-01 23:12:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,978
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8641972
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Angel_made_of_scars/pseuds/Angel_made_of_scars
Summary: It's thanksgiving and Mary is back! With a new house, she invites everyone over for football, turkey, pie, and everything in between.





	

"Come on Cas, it's a great time of year."

"It's cold."

"We all get to watch football."

"I don't like television."

"There's going to be pie."

"I understand that Dean." Cas said stubbornly.

"Look, you are not missing thanksgiving. It's the best holiday." Dean said.

"I've had unpleasant experiences." Cas said. Dean nodded and sighed. Instead of fighting it, he sat down beside Cas on the couch and took his hands.

"Then let me make this a good experience." Dean said, touching their rings together. Cas looked down at their untwined fingers and sighed.

"Don't want to get sick." Cas said quietly.

"Cas, you got sick one time, from a virus. You told me. That won't happen now."

"What if it does?"

"It won't. But if it does, I'll be there, and so will Michael, and Gabriel, and your dad. You'll be safe."

"Feels so bad!" Cas said anxiously.

"Hey, it's not going to happen. What else are you worried about?" Dean asked.

"People. Too many." Cas said.

"Well, let's see though. New, big, open house. Not crowded, not bumping into each other. How many are sitting at the table? My mom, your dad, that's two, and us makes four. Sam and Jess add two, so that's six people. And Michael and Gabriel, that's eight. Only seven other people sweetheart." Dean counted.

"Seven others." Cas repeated, wrapping his head around it.

"What else is bothering you?" Dean asked.

"Food?" Cas said hesitantly.

"Right, cause you don't like a lot of things, that's a good concern. But see, I took care of that." Dean said.

"How?" Cas asked.

"I told my mom you would need some food, so she's making baked macaroni and cheese. You can have turkey and macaroni. You're all set." Dean said. Cas nodded.

"Football?"

"You can wear your big earmuffs." Dean said, leaning forward. Cas dipped his head, and Dean kissed his forehead.

"You'll be perfectly ok. I'll make sure. If you ever feel bad, just tell me and we can go outside and get some air. No big deal." Dean said.

His phone buzzing distracted him, and he took his hands away from Cas to fish it out of his pocket. Cas spun his ring around a few times and waited.

"It's them, downstairs. Time to go." Dean said. Cas nodded and stood, going to the closet to get his lawnmower earmuffs before they left.

"Hey, you feel pretty comfortable riding in the old car, right? Gabriel's car?" Dean asked.

"I'm getting there." Cas said. Dean smiled.

"Why?" Cas asked.

"No, nothing. Just an idea. Let's go." Dean said.

* * *

"Cas, Chuck, you know you make a woman feel rushed by watching." Mary said politely.

"Apologies." They said together, stepping back from watching her mash the potatoes.

"Us ladies have to work." Gabriel said, putting his pie in the oven finally. Chuck nodded, while Cas tilted his head.

"Ladies?"

"It was a joke." Chuck whispered.

"Of course." Cas said, accepting that as answer enough. Gabriel always made jokes he didn't understand.

"Alright, potatoes are mashed, turkey is done, time to eat. Time to eat everybody!" Mary called.

Dean was the first off the couch, followed by Michael, Sam, and Jessica. They all piled into the kitchen, making Cas uncomfortable. Dean came up beside him and reached out to touch his arm, but he pulled away. He didn't want to be touched.

"Don't we do the prayer first?" Chuck spoke up, making everyone turn towards him.

"Oh, um, of course! You can lead it if you want." Mary said, nodding along. She bowed her head politely and everyone copied, not used to the position.

"Heavenly Father, we thank you for the food on our plates, the home we stand in, and the people around us this holiday. In your name we praise, amen." Chuck said quietly. Everyone accepted it and nodded, and began to fill their plates with food, except Mary, who stepped aside and pulled Chuck with her.

"We aren't used to... praying. It's all a bit new. You'll have to be patient with us." Mary said. Chuck nodded.

"If it makes you uncomfortable-"

"No, no, Chuck, it's fine. We're family now. We accept each other's... customs. This is a new one I'll be happy to indulge in." Mary assured him. He nodded and smiled a little.

"Would you like to come to church with me? I found a nice place. O-Only if you want to." Chuck said.

"Well, I don't know about the boys, but I would be happy to go with you." She said. Chuck nodded and smiled, picking up a plate.

"Fill up." Mary said, taking her own plate and getting in line.

Meanwhile, Cas sat down beside Dean. He felt his anxiety at the back of his mind, ready to strike, but managed to breathe through it. Dean watched him breathing and again offered his hand, and this time Cas took it, squeezing tightly.

"What if I'm sick like-"

"That thanksgiving was a long time ago. I understand you're still scared, but there's no reason you'd get sick here." Dean said comfortingly. Cas didn't agree. He simply looked at his food.

It looked harmless enough, but he could see a million reasons not to eat. A billion ways it could make him sick. Food poisoning, choking, just not agreeing with his stomach. He clenched his teeth together and looked towards Dean.

He looked happy. He loved eating, and loved the holiday. He was thankful for his family, and happy to spend time with them. And Cas was too, but he was also aware of the anxiety as everyone finished sitting down. The expectations. No flapping, sit still, eat. Be like Dean. Smile.

"Cas, are you ok?" Dean asked. Cas nodded. He was suppose to.

"So, what is everybody thankful for?" Mary asked. His mind raced again.

Cas picked up his turkey and tore a piece off, putting it hesitantly in his mouth. It didn't taste or feel like being sick. It tasted nice. It tasted... homemade. He looked at the other food on his plate and picked up his fork. With determination, he ate a bit of the macaroni Mary had made. It tasted incredible.

He started to eat faster, until he didn't realize, he was doing it. He was smiling, and eating, and being with... his family. And things were going well. He could feel his anxiety lessening, and a feeling of warmth replace it.

"What are you thankful for Cas?" Dean asked. He thought for a moment and nodded, satisfied with his answer.

"You. And food. And everyone. And not getting sick." Cas said. Gabriel made a choked noise with his mouth full, that might have been a laugh.

"God, that year was awful! You still think about that?!" Gabriel asked.

"Yes, and let's not relive it." Dean interjected. Gabriel threw up his hands in defeat.

"What about you Dean, what are you thankful for?" Mary asked.

"I'm thankful for this turkey, and this stuffing, and the pie in that oven, and Cas. I'm so thankful for Cas. And everybody here, huh? Beat that Sammy." Dean laughed. Sam bit his lip and nodded.

"Well, if just like to say, I'm thankful for my beautiful fiancé and child." Sam countered. Mary dropped her fork.

"Your what? Did you-" Mary stopped, as Jessica raised her hand, showing off a diamond ring.

"And child?!" Mary cried, throwing her hands over her mouth.

"Yep, child. We're having a baby." Sam grinned. Mary stood up and threw her hands in the air, running around the table to hug them both. Dean stood up and did the same.

"You did top that, wow! A kid Sammy?" Dean laughed.

"Yeah, and she told me, and I just, I went out and bought the ring that day." Sam smiled.

"Congrats Samsquatch!" Gabriel said.

"Yes, congratulations Jessica. And Sam, I'm sure you'll make a great dad." Michael spoke up.

"Congratulations." Chuck said shyly.

"Cas, we're uncles!" Dean said excitedly. Cas put down his own fork.

"We are? I am?"

"Yeah, Sam is going to have a kid. I bet it's gonna be a girl, a little baby girl!" Dean said, sitting back down in his chair.

"I do too." Jessica said, taking her seat.

"Well I- what do I do now? We have to start buying baby clothes, and-"

"Mom, no, you're too excited." Sam chuckled.

Cas smiled. Everyone seemed so excited about the concept of a new child. Maybe he could have a child one day. Until then, he was thankful for Dean.

* * *

"So Gabriel, you're the main owner of that car out front that drove us here, right?" Dean asked.

"Yes, why? Are you planning to steal it?" Gabriel asked, rubbing his stomach.

"Nope, I'm buying it. You can stop lugging us around, cause I'm taking your ride." Dean said. Gabriel raised one eyebrow.

"And how much will you be taking it for?" He asked.

"Well, I figure, new car, thirty six, but old as that is and with the miles, I'll give you twenty four thousand."

"In cash?" Gabriel asked seriously.

"Well- uh- no. No, not in cash." Dean said.

"Damn, I was going to swim in it like a fish." Gabriel informed him. He nodded.

"Well, that's- ok, why not?" Dean said, looking to Cas. He had fallen asleep on his arm, in front of the football game.

"Cas loves the way my car looks, but he just can't stand to hear the engine. Yours, he's so used to. Maybe if we took yours we could go on vacations, or I could take him to Disney. I bet he'd love that. Point is, I need your seal of approval on our deal. So what do you say?" Dean asked. Gabriel looked towards Michael, who just shrugged.

"You think I can get a new car to replace my old one for twenty four?" Gabriel asked slyly. Dean sighed.

"Twenty five thousand?"

"Deal. But you're driving us home." Gabriel said. Dean nodded.

"I'll send you the check." Dean smiled, feeling like he'd won the lottery like his father did. He had just secured Cas' dream car.

* * *

"Come on Cas, time to get up." Dean said, shaking him yet again. Cas grumbled. He had gotten in the car, now what?

"We have to go inside to bed." Dean said, answering his question. Still, he curled up tighter in his seat.

"Come on Cas, you can't sleep in the car." Dean said. Cas grumbled and finally sat up, giving Dean an angry glare. Dean just smiled at him.

"Your powers aren't very strong on me mister pouty. Come on, up to bed." Dean said.

Cas reluctantly stood up and got out of the car, heading towards the elevator. Dean shut his door and followed him, grinning the whole way looking at him. Cas usually would have smiled back, but he was too tired. Instead he gave Dean a look somewhere between aggravated and bored.

"You're just adorable when you're sleepy." Dean teased. Cas scowled at him as their floor dinged.

Entering their apartment was hard on a sleep-ridden brain, but brushing his teeth was worse. He was slowly waking up and he didn't want to, so he turned and shut the light to the bathroom off.

"Dude, I need to see the sink to spit." Dean grumbled with a foamy mouth. Cas angrily flipped the lights back on.

The only time he finally felt relieved was when he laid down in Deans bed, feeling the familiar pillows envelope his head. Dean laid down beside him and waited, and Cas almost forgot to tap the bed. When he did, Dean put his arms around him and kissed his cheek.

"Goodnight sunshine." Dean said.

"Sunshine." Cas mumbled.

"Yeah, that ok?" Dean asked.

"Yes. Like it." Cas said sleepily. He could hear Deans chuckle as he finally drifted off to sleep.

**Author's Note:**

> Next up, SIN.


End file.
